Sunday: “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Daily Lesson for Sunday 15th of September 2024
Read Mark 15:1-15. What kind of ironic situations occur here?
Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea from A.D. 26–A.D. 36. He was not a kind leader, and a number of his actions caused consternation among the inhabitants of the land (compare with Luke 13:1). The Jewish trial of Jesus resulted in a death sentence for blasphemy. But under Roman rule, the Jews could not execute people in most cases, and so, they brought Jesus to Pilate for condemnation.
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The charge against Jesus before Pilate is not mentioned, but it is possible to ascertain the charge based on the brief question that Pilate asks Jesus: “ ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ ” (Mark 15:2, ESV). In Old Testament times, Israel anointed its kings; so, it is not hard to see how the term Messiah (“Anointed One”) could be twisted into claiming homage as a king in competition with the emperor. Thus, the charge brought before the Sanhedrin was blasphemy while the charge brought before the governor was sedition, which would lead to death.
The irony is that Jesus is both the Messiah and the King of the Jews. His convictions for blasphemy and sedition were mistaken; He should have received homage and worship instead. Yet, Jesus still acts in a kingly manner. His response to Pilate, “ ‘You have said so’ ” (Mark 15:2, ESV), is noncommittal. He does not deny the title or affirm it. This response may suggest that He is a king but of a different sort (compare with John 18:33-38).
Mark 15:6 introduces into the narrative a custom of releasing a prisoner at the time of the Passover. In Mark 15:9, Pilate asks if they want him to release the “ ‘King of the Jews,’ ” and though he might have meant it ironically, the irony is really playing out against him.
Mark 15:9-10 is a study in perception and imperception. Pilate perceives that the religious leaders turned over Jesus because of envy, but he does not perceive that, by asking the crowd, he is playing into the hands of the religious leaders. They stir up the crowd and call for Jesus’ crucifixion. Pilate recoils. Crucifixion was such a terrible way to die, particularly for one he considered innocent. How painfully ironic that the pagan governor wanted to release the Messiah while the religious leaders wanted Him crucified.
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What can keep you from following the crowd when the pressure is great to do so? |
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Pilate found himself between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he was responsible for keeping "Pax Romana" for Caesar in Rome and on the other hand he wanted to keep on good terms with the Jews. Palestine was no great catch for someone who wanted to advance in the Roman Empire. It was a bit like being sent to Western Australia as a minor government official when you really wanted to be in Canberra (Australia's capital) mixing it with captains and kings. Egypt and Mesopotamia were the important areas - Palestine just happened to be between the two and as long as they kept quiet, they didn't matter.
So, I think when this "King of the Jews" business came up he wanted to get rid of it as quickly as he could. Mark doesn't record the event but Luke records:
Herod did have a claim to be King of the Jews (although Tetrach, "ruler of a quarter" was his Roman title) and Pilate thought that he could pass the buck. Although it is not part of Mark's narrative, it is worth noting that Herod was looking forward to meeting Jesus, He knew who he was and his relationship to John the Baptist. But after finding that Jesus was not willing to satisfy his curiosity, he mocked him and sent him back to Pilate. He didn't want to be involved in the decision either.
So, Pilate caved in to crowd pressure and made the popular decision to let the Jews crucify Jesus. It is also interesting to note that Pilate and Herod put aside their differences and became good friends at this time.
Pilate was perceptive enough to see that the Jewish leaders were calling for Jesus' crucifixion out of spite, yet in his own interests of popularity, he gave in to the crowd's demands.
Yes Herod may have mocked "Emmanuel." You will also note that Herod was upon his throne. After some time frustrated Herod moved off his throne (Abdicating), moved unto Jesus placing his gorgeous rob on Emmanuel.Luke 23 = 11.. Jesus is now ready for installation as "King of Kings & Lord of Lords," via Pilate.
Also see Desire of Aged p731.
I see no evidence of the abdication scenario in either the Biblical accourt of the Desire of Ages account. Herod was curious because of his previous history with John the Baptist and outraged because Jesus refused to satisfy his curiosity, He mocked Jesus by dressing him up as a king and sending him back to Pilate.
Follow your principles and no what people say to you to do... follow God and not what you hear from people than can be your friends, colleagues or someone else. Follow him with all your heart. Sometimes is not easy as we live and work under pressure but every day we should ask God's guidance to be strong and keep us safe, close to him. Keep praying my brothers days are hard and the crowd are so influencial nowadays as was in Jesus time.
Pilate's wife had warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus but he didn't listen. Pirate was a punk that's the way the world is going do what is wrong even when it's right
Everyday or week we ourselves face a similar situation when pressure is brought to bear on us and what will we do? Only the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to stand and not go necessarily with the crowd but choose Jesus. Pray for me that I will enquire of Jesus and be bold and strong this week in every decision.
Good question, what do you do in such a bind. It is easy to be a people pleaser, but, at what benefit? Depends on what our goal or the desire. Jesus loves us to the very end giving up all for humanity.Yes Jesus teach us to be wise in this age of popular deceptions.God please help us.
The charge against Jesus was that Jesus was going about for close to three years misdirecting the nation, also going against Caeser, which we know was false, as Christ had told them to render to Caesar those things that are Caesers and unto God those things that are God's. Then the charge calling himself king of the Jews was a last ditch effort in panic mode to get their preposterous conviction. Pilate saw through this. He must have laughed at their stupidity. Yet through it all Christ remained calm.
"Now the priests thought to make it appear that on this occasion Christ had taught what they hoped He would teach. In their extremity they called false witnesses to their aid, "and they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King." Three charges, each without foundation. The priests knew this, but they were willing to commit perjury could they but secure their end.
Pilate saw through their purpose. He did not believe that the prisoner had plotted against the government. His meek and humble appearance was altogether out of harmony with the charge." Desire of Ages 725.6 - Desire of Ages 726.1
Again the tremendous experience of what Christ has done for us is heart wrenching sorrow of what Christ went through for us. It brings us closer to the Cross where we 1st saw the light, and the burdens of our heart rolled away. It is there by faith we recieve our sight, and now we are happy every day.
I listened to an interview with the attorney who through preservence was able the free a street preacher from the accusations, arest, and conviction of disobeying a Seattle law of reading the Bible in public on the streets of Seattle. It sounded to me a little like the experience Christ went through as the crowd became excited and ready to tear Christ to pieces had not the Roman soldiers intervened. Read about the account of Christ before Herod in The Desire of Ages pages 728.3 ---731.4.
What can keep you from following the crowd when the pressure is great to do so?
This can be a difficult thing to do, but the key to it is allowing God to live inside of you.
Then the decisions you make will be from a "Christ-in-me" standpoint rather than from worldly sentiment!!!!
As intriguing as this bibical account is, it can be read as just another bible story. The difference between the lesson today and what we studied last was that last week, Jesus's disciples betrayed him, abandoned him, and lied about him.
In today's lesson, the church leaders skillfully plotted how to silence Jesus permanently, they lied about him, and they used their influence to coerce the crowd to unjustly demand a sentence on him that was based on fabricated evidence. We see Pilate, who was the judge of this case, hand done judgement that he knew was wrong, but he did it to remain popular with the church leaders and the crowd, and not to jeopodise his job and his standing with Cesear. His motivation was, "what is in my best interest." We see slightly different but similar behavior from Herod. In his case, he simply, "passed the buck."
In all these situations, the one factor that is at play is the "human nature." It is the same nature that we are all born with, and which will come out of us at times when we have to make decisions about issues that affect our core interest. None of us is immune from this unless we are changed by the Holy Spirit. This is the point of Romans 12:1,2 ....be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
I know it is hard for some of us to believe this, but my comment is not meant to judge anyone. I see myself as the one that need this commentary, and my prayer is for the infilling of the Holy Spirit so that in all my ways I will be careful to acknowledge him. This is my prayer for myself and for everyone else.
We thank God for the decisions we have to make everyday.
He guides us into choosing right only when we believe
I pray that I never make a wrong decision by planning to crusify Jesus through my words,actions and thoughts.
Thoughts in answer to the lesson’s question:
I consider knowing how to answer this question to be very important to every Christian. Are we introspective enough to ask ourselfs this question - do we know the reason why we believe, do we have an answer should someone ask us why we believe and choose to live by faith? Is our faith in God's Word strong enough to withstand the call to follow the crowd?
Being single minded, unambivalent, unapologetic in the application of one’s faith, does not mean one is rigid or lacking empathy, compassion, or understanding for one’s fellow man. For me, it means to be wholly convicted that I am on the right track, following the right Path, having the right understanding of the principles which I apply to govern my life – faith in God’s Word and love for Him and my fellow man.
Everyone’s life unfolds differently, though what motivates and moves a Christian to move forward in life are spiritual principles and guidelines established by faith in the Word of God; they are the same for everyone!
These faith-based principles are non-negotiable; we use them to build our ‘house’ on them! They form the foundation, the rock, on which our life is based on and govern our decisions. The stronger one’s faith and the conviction to have chosen the right building blocks for one's foundation, the less likely we are to be 'taken in by pressures to follow a crowd'.
I recently read a blog post by an atheist who says, "When you are that certain of a conclusion in the face of such vast evidence to the contrary, you are delusional." Delusional. I'm sure that's what Pilate was thinking about Jesus. Here was a man who insisted in calling himself a king and talking about an imaginary kingdom in the face of torture and death. In this scene, on the surface, the evidence was to the contrary of reality. Jesus looked and sounded battered, weak and crazy. Pilate appeared to the be one who was strong and sensible. Jesus was doing nothing to avoid his own crucifixion, saying nothing that was politically savvy to save his own hide. To Pilate and those who are of this world, 1 Cor. 1:25 says that God's ways look like foolishness and weakness. We see this, too, when Paul was on trial: he was accused of being "out of his mind" (Acts 26:24).
Pilate was scratching his head, thinking and saying, "Don't you know that you're about to die, Jesus?! If you don't want to die, don't mention some kingdom of yours (imaginary or not - who knows) to me, the Roman governor! (John 18:36). To anybody looking on who was not born of the Spirit, they would also shake their head. Pilate had the full authority of the Roman empire behind him. Jesus had nobody! Or He appeared to have no one. He stood there, despised and rejected of all men (Is. 53:3).
Jesus declares Himself as King of Truth (John 18:37). His subjects thirst for truth, recognize Truth, follow only Truth. Pilate, meanwhile, scoffs at the idea of absolute truth (John 18:38). "What is truth?" Sound familiar? Does to me. I've heard from the secular world so many times, "What you believe is just that, what YOU believe." That atheist blogger I mentioned, he also writes, "...absolute certainty is a characteristic of delusion, not wisdom." Which is ironic because he seems so sure of his own opinions.
When I am willing to speak the truth in love as Jesus did, it sometimes sounds strange, even to myself, in the immediate context of unbelievers listening. To talk about unseen worlds, spiritual warfare with evil powers, God coming down from heaven, sacrificing Himself, dying for my sins and covering me with His blood....It is honestly the ONLY story that does make sense to me now in light of my life experiences and in the face of world events...but looking through the world's eyes, I can see in their faces how foolish and delusional it sounds and it can feel like friends will think I've gone crazy. However, God is calling us to see the scene through His eyes, to be faithful to Jesus, the only Way, Life and Truth (John 14:6). Jesus looked ahead during His "on trial, looks odd" moment to the time when all will see Him as the obviously victorious and obviously truthful one (Matt. 26:64). What God is doing in those moments when we gently speak the truth in love, maybe even before rulers and influential people (Mark 13:9), we someday will see in retrospect how God was victorious, how the "only wise God" (1 Tim. 1:17) uses the weakest of us to tell of Him, how God twists what looks like foolishness in this world to confound and baffle the wise (1 Cor. 1:27-31).
Anyone who condemns absolute certainty, condemns themself. I would ask them if they are absolutely certain. Also the atheist has no basis for thought or conviction. For him/her everything is just a jumble of events with no reason to evaluate or converse about anything.
Each day we are faced with life's challenges, we are all tossed as sheep going blindfolded to and from in this world. We must put on the whole Armor of God's Word in order to stand! God must be first in our hearts and lives. I pray that God will help me to be strong!
Of course the chief priests stirred up the crowd to call for the release of Barrabas! They were murderers just like him, and birds of a feather flock together!
I'm late to the party, I will be brief.
There are two natures that dwell inside of every human being, The nature of God is a visitor in the form of the Holy Spirit, the other is the natural man, the nature of fallen man. There are only two influencers, The Spirit of God, and not the Spirit of God. The Spirit of the Father is able to speak shalom into every situation that is common to man. It was the Spirit of the Father that set Jesus, face like flint to the trial that was prepared for Him, "Never the less not my will but Thine be done.". Pilate, the priests, and the crowd had to choose which influencer they would allow to lead them.
We continually make our own choice with every thought, motive, action, and word. The best definition of Grace I have ever heard came to me through a friend, "Grace is the Divine influence upon every thought,motive, action and word.". May we all choose to live by Grace.
Joshua, better late, than not at all. 😉 Comments are welcome anytime.
Indeed the two natures battle against each other. The nature that we "feed" is the nature that will lead. This is why when we walk in the spirit, we will not satisfy
the desires of the flesh, and vice versa.
God will not violate our freedom of choice, even if man does. Everything comes down to choice. We can choose to give God our will and let His Grace empower us to live the Christian life. Your friend's definition of Grace is a good one. Jesus dying on the cross is probably the greatest illustration of Grace. 2 Cor. 5:21 sums it up pretty well.
Thanks for contributing to the discussion my friend.
Blessings!
Pilate intently wanted to release Jesus because he found NO FAULT in him but he finally released Jesus to be crucified due to the influence of the crowd. The key question here, is can we still do what is right despite the fact if we don't have numbers on our side. This question particularly is what our leaders who are in position of authorities have to battle with in the discharge of their duties.